Getting to know your new Cleveland Browns: Ryan Miller

Who better to get the inside info on the Browns’ new draft class than the bloggers that followed them in college? We asked The Ralphie Report for some insight on Colorado OL Ryan Miller. David Gerhardt was happy to assist.

How would you characterize his college career?

He was a 4+ year starter who was a leader on offense for a group of guys that played through some tough times here at CU. He’s a guy that believes in himself and though he never quite lived up to the expectations we had for him coming out of high school (Parade HS All-American), he still was a consistent and solid force who occasionally had standout performances. He had a number of offensive line coaches at CU and played in a couple of offenses that didn’t necessarily work to his strengths.

What are the Browns getting with Miller?

Ryan Miller is a high-character guy that absolutely loves the game of football. He’s a huge man who gives huge effort. His technique would disappear at times, but he has a pretty solid floor with a good-not-great ceiling as an NFL prospect.

Is there an NFL player that you think is a good comparison?

Marco Columbo who just retired (after he returned from the nasty knee-injury). He’s a big-bodied guy who isn’t quick-footed, but can get it done at RT. He has a mean-streak and can absorb some punishment.

Pro scouts say Miller should transition to RT in the pros, do you think he is a better fit at guard or tackle?

In the NFL he’s a right tackle. He could get away with being that tall in college at guard, and actually had a few standout games inside (including one game where he nearly shut down Ndomukung Suh in his Heisman runner-up season), but he would struggle there full-time against NFL quality competition. He could slide inside and I would imagine they practice him there some for flexibility. He’s got the right demeanor for RT, playing mean and showing the ability to get a strong first punch and lock up guys that are quicker than he is, slowing them down.

Were you surprised by his draft position?

Actually that’s just about where I figured he would get picked. Some folks felt he could potentially get picked as high as the 2nd round (especially after Nate Solder from CU was taken in the 1st last year), but we figured it would happen somewhere in the middle of Day 3.

Where do you see him in three years-

All Pro, Solid Starter, Bench Contributor, Bust

Somewhere in between solid starter and bench contributor. He’s a guy that can play in the NFL for a long time, especially once he earns that RT spot. He won’t make an All-Pro team, but he’s a guy that a team can win with at right tackle. I think he needs at least a season of adjustment and work, but he can definitely be a 10-year starter on that right side. And because his ceiling isn’t incredibly high, he probably won’t stay with 1 team for that stretch, but he’s a guy that can hold down the position for teams that need a solid football-playing-dude (as Bill Parcells would say)

Any additional comments you would like to make?

You’ve got a good guy there that won’t take any plays off. Take care of our Alumnus. The University of Colorado is proud of him. And feel free to stop by The Ralphie Report with any more questions and to give us any updates on him you’d like to share.

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If memory serves, Miller was double/triple-teaming Suh with the help of Nate Solder (1st rounder last year) and friends throughout much of that game…so I’m not sure how much he “shut down Suh” on his own. Interesting to read that he projects as a RT, since we nabbed one in the second round; I guess I assumed that Miller would compete at RG.

I have a feeling he’ll be coming off the bench and subbing at both RG and RT. I think this is the reason the Browns drafted him. It’s hard to find a guy who can play both positions well, and they most likely feel they’ve found that guy.

Vindictive_Pat

+1… with no Porkchop Womack on the roster (and rightfully so), the Browns could use a backup with versatility to go either RG or RT. However, I disagree with the contributor from The Ralphie Report… I don’t see any issue with his size as an NFL guard. I actually think size and speed at guard is more of an issue in college where teams try to spread you out more and make the offensive linemen cover more ground laterally. But I agree that I think he’ll be groomed to play both spots.

mgbode

I think the angle he was going at is that in the NFL it’s more important for OGs to get up under the pads of the bigger, heavier DTs in order to move them to open up holes in the run game (where you can get away with sloppier blocking in college).

as such, Miller will have to be extremely disciplined to stay low given his 6’8″ height.

Indeed mg. But this is nothing new to him. If he can get arms extended, he has all the leverage in the world in his favor though.

mgbode

certainly. it’ll be interesting to see where we play him and if we try to let him compete to start or let him sit-n-learn.

mgbode

certainly. it’ll be interesting to see where we play him and if we try to let him compete to start or let him sit-n-learn.

Max

Sorry if OT, but did anyone else hear about Junior Seau? He has dead, supposedly from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Rumor has it he did not shoot himself in the head so that his brain could be used for scientific research into head trauma. The NFL’s head injury problem just got worse (in theory of course, nothing is confirmed, and that’s pure speculation)

well, he drove off a cliff recently
and was arrested for domestic violence recently
and has been rumored to be addicted to pain killers (pretty common for NFL players) – though I’m not sure if that’s just in his past or was in his present

sad day

edpro1979

This is what upset me about this draft.If they wanted a gaurd then draft a pure gaurd and not a guy who projects as a RT.We let all kinds of good gaurds go by …pure gaurds and take this guy
.This is how the whole draft was as far as im concerned.

mgbode

this late in the draft and we potentially find a backup that can play 2 positions (or 3 if he picks up both OG slots). that is not a bad thing

Bric

Can Schwartz play guard?
Miller could spell Schwarz at RT if Schwartz could occasionally move inside to spell either LG or RG.

buff

CU fan here. Solder was at LT so he didnt touch Suh, Miller was at RG. We had our backup center playing that game, and like most teams we doubled Suh with Miller and the center, but half the time the center didnt get off the ball quick enough and Suh became Miller’s sole responsibility. Suh didn’t end up touching the QB the whole game, and he was credited with a sack because of a bad grounding call that would have been a coverage sack anyway.

buff

Oh ya, and people kept saying that he struggled this year, but I don’t see it. I think people say that because CU was so bad this year and the line gave up the most sacks in the conference, but he only gave up 1 all year. Either way, no matter if he’s at RG or RT, if you get him moving forward, he’s a beast. With Richardson in the backfield, you guys will probably be doing that a alot.

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